Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 184: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

166 Tem ANDERSON, DarE-DEVIL militia till they dropped — and thrashed Duane’s Tactics into the little blue bull?”’ “The same devilish boy,” with an uproarious laugh. “T see you know all about him. Well, you can’t stuff your- self with British dispatches round here, so I’ll give you something that’ll hold water till we can get the Baron's sisnature. Baron du Buysson’s my Colonel. I can't write, but what I say sticks!— like a cuckle-burr to a sheep! You write what I tell you.” And ‘Tom wrote: — Every member of Dangeridge’s Troop of Horse is hereby ordered to guard the bearer against molestation. And every horse-thief in De Kalb’s army is hereby warned that if there’s a grapevine growing between here and Deep River, he’ll swing when I get my hands on him. So help me God! PEAKE DANGERIDGE, Capt. Troop of Horse, Du Buysson’s Div., De Kalb’s Army. That ’ll hold ’°em down. When we camp I’Il find you. That drove of horses is enough to make a horse-thief pre- pare to meet his God! Everywhere, anywhere, I’m yours to count on.” A sharp command, and the cavalry dashed away. Be it said, there was not a nobler, braver officer in the army than Dangeridge. That night our friends camped in a pocosin thicket, and Unaka’s wounds were cared for. A few days later Tom was conducted to Headquarters by his new friend and presented to Du Buysson, the brave officer who, a few months thereafter, interposed his own body between assaulting bayonets and the dying General de Kalb. From Colonel du Buysson, Tom received a pass- port which protected his person and property — until that oy ynen the sun rose over the bloody waters of Waxhaw reek. When the news of the fall of Charleston checked De Kalb’s forces at Deep River, the two boys were seventy- Eomicbooks (E() m